Monsters in the Night
by em1ly007
Summary: Stark Tower became The Avengers Tower, a safe place for the members of the team. Bruce Banner was the first to move in along with Fury, Hawkeye, and the illusive Black Widow. When Natasha struggles to accept the out come of a previous mission, Bruce is there to help her find the light and convince her that she is not a monster. Set post Avenger pre Avengers 2
1. 1: Shadows

After the battle of New York, the team known as The Avengers had gone their separate ways for the time being. Thor went home to Asgard, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Captain America went back to S.H.I.E.L.D., and Tony Stark and Bruce Banner went back to Stark Tower.

After cleaning and remodeling the tower, including giving it a new name, Nick Fury and some of S.H.I.E.L.D. moved into the new and improved Avengers tower.

At first, Tony was less than enthusiastic that S.H.I.E.L.D. was living in his new home, but after a while he liked being the center of attention (surprise). Even the elusive Hawkeye and Black Widow had made a home in the tower; however, the most surprising tenant was the Hulk himself, Bruce Banner.

Bruce was the first to move in, other than Tony and Pepper. Tony was confident that Banner would stay if he were given a state of the art science lab, so that's exactly what Tony did. Those who thought Banner would disappear like he had tried before, were surprised to find him still in Avengers Tower three months later.

"You like it here, right Bruce?" Tony asked one day.

"What?" Bruce looked up from his experiment. "Oh, yeah. The lab is great." Bruce looked down knowing Tony wouldn't be satisfied.

"I mean in Avengers Tower. With me, Pepper, Natasha, Clint, and Fury, even if he is a buzz kill. Do you miss being alone?" Tony was serious and Bruce could tell.

Dr. Banner relaxed from his experiment and removed his glasses. "When I disappeared, at first it was about helping me. As I moved from place to place it became about helping others. Now that I'm here, it's still about helping others just not as Dr. Banner." Bruce finished his answer, then looked at Tony and laughed. "I didn't answer your question did I?"

"Nope not at all, but…I like you being here. Someone who finally understands what I'm saying." Tony clapped Bruce on the back. "See you at dinner."

"Bye, Tony." Bruce continued his experiment once Tony had retreated to the elevator in the back of the lab.

* * *

Two hours later, J.A.R.V.I.S. broke Bruce from his trance. "Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, but dinner will be served in ten minutes.

"Oh, uh, thanks J.A.R.V.I.S."

"You're welcome, sir." The voice clicked off and J.A.R.V.I.S. disappeared into thin air. Bruce cleaned his workstation only to reveal his reflection in the glass. His curly hair was straining in different directions, his dark, coffee colored eyes looked tired, and his button up shirt was wrinkled.

With only minutes before dinner, Bruce took a quick shower, towel drying his hair as best he could. His eyes looked fresher after a few eye drops and he picked a bright colored shirt to make him seem happy.

Bruce made it to the pent house of the tower right as the other guests were finding a seat. Tony sat at the head of the table close to the kitchen while Fury sat at the other end to keep his "eyes" on Tony, so to speak. Pepper sat to the left of Tony with Clint next to her, and Natasha sat to the left of Fury leaving one space available for Bruce between her and Tony. "There's my favorite scientist! Come sit next to me!"

Bruce walked quickly to the seat not wanting to keep the others waiting. "Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time." Bruce explained, sitting down.

There was a moment of silence as the assassins at the other end stared at him. "Well, it must be a scientist thing. Tony never knows what time it is." Pepper announced, breaking the silence.

"I know what time it is. J.A.R.V.I.S., what time is it?" Tony mused.

"It is 7:02 p.m., sir." J.A.R.V.I.S. announced.

"Thank you, J.A.R.V.I.S." Tony smirked.

"I stand corrected." Pepper proceeded to take her napkin and place it across her lap. Tony took the hint and asked for the food to be brought in.

The meal went by quickly with Tony cracking jokes at the expense of everyone else. Even Fury laughed at the millionaire, playboy and his quick wit. The only one who wasn't into the chatter was the Russian assassin seated next to Bruce.

He noticed her eyes stayed glued to her plate. Natasha didn't even look up when Tony joked about her red hair. Bruce was about to ask if she was all right, when Natasha excused herself from the table.

Fury and Clint glanced at each other, having a silent conversation about the woman who had just left them. Tony stopped Bruce from investigating any further when he asked if everyone wanted dessert. The offer went unanswered and the rest of the table members went their separate ways.

* * *

In the darkness of his room, Bruce began his usual string of nightmares. Usually, they consisted of flashbacks of him as the Hulk. This time was no different. He saw the green rage monster crush a four-door car as he landed on the roof.

Next, he could see the Hulk extending to his full height and bringing his fists down to the asphalt; the solid rock obliterated. Suddenly, the creature paused and stared at a person standing a few blocks away. The monster moved toward the person until he was standing toe-to-toe with Bruce Banner. The alter egos took in the sight of each other. Neither side moved until…

It happened so fast; Bruce wasn't sure what took place. The beast grabbed Banner and hefted him above his head. In one swift motion, the beast slammed Banner back toward the Earth. Bruce raced toward the ground and then…

Bruce woke with a start. His face was covered in sweat, but it seemed the beast had stayed inside his dreams. Determined to avoid other nightmares, Bruce made his way to the kitchen of the pent house.

Once he arrived, Dr. Banner found an apple to munch on and a glass to have some water. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" A voice called from the shadows. Bruce looked around, but didn't see a person in the room. " Over here, Dr. Banner."

Stepping out of the shadows, Natasha Romanoff became visable. She walked toward him from her dark corner across the room. At one point, Bruce thought he saw a tear roll down her cheek, but Natasha didn't seem like one to cry.

"I had a nightmare. Couldn't sleep." He explained.

"I thought I was the only one with nightmares." Natasha attempted a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Are you okay? At dinner you seemed…distracted." Bruce chose his words carefully, knowing he was facing a master assassin.

"Nothing you need to worry about, doctor." Natasha patted his shoulder and strolled out to the balcony.

Bruce watched her saunter to the ledge and lean against the rail. He contemplated what he should do considering that if she became angry with him she could attack him. Realizing he was the bigger threat of the two, Bruce sat down his glass and half eaten apple on the counter. His curiosity was forcing him out to the balcony to speak with Natasha. Opening the door, Bruce joined her at the ledge.


	2. 2: Demons

Natasha stood with her back toward Bruce, looking out into the New York night. It was nearly 3 in the morning, yet the streets were still filled with people having a good time and enjoying the night life of the city.

"It's pretty. Isn't it." Bruce offered as he took the place beside her. "When I was on the run, I always thought of New York."

"It's nice." Natasha didn't offer anything else.

Bruce watched her as the silence continued, trying to judge her expression. Finally, he broke the silence, "Natasha, if you ever need to talk about something...I'm a good listener."

"Thanks, but I don't need a shoulder to cry on."

"Everyone needs to talk sometime." Bruce involuntarily touched her arm.

"I'm not like everyone!" Natasha pulled away. "I'm an assassin."

"You're still a person. You can't bottle up your emotions." Bruce replied.

"Coming from the man who is nothing but bottled up emotions." Natasha shot back. That struck a nerve in the doctor.

"Is that how you see me? Nothing more than a monster," Bruce stepped toward her, "am I just here to destroy what Fury deems unnecessary? Am I just a monster? Am I?" Bruce stomped his foot to accentuate his anger. His eyes flashed green and his breathing quickened.

On instinct, Natasha drew her gun, though Bruce wasn't sure were she had hidden it in her pajamas. Bruce stared at the gun unfazed.

"Go ahead," he moved forward pressing the gun to his chest, "shoot me. It wouldn't be the first time the monster saved me." At this point, his eyes were back to their normal coffee color.

Natasha knew she was safe and put down the gun. "I killed a man two weeks ago." She stated plainly. Bruce waited for the explanation. "Fury sent me to the Middle East to kill a business man who had done some bad things."

"Seems like a mission for an assassin." Bruce shrugged.

"Yes, but this was different. The first time I tried to kill him his wife got in the way. I didn't take the shot. The next time I was about to pull the trigger, when his son stepped into my crosshairs. I couldn't do it. I told Fury, but we needed the target neutralized. On my final attempt, I had a clear shot. I readied my rifle and right as I fired his son leaned in the hug him." Natasha wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I killed a kid, Bruce. The worst part is I was trained to kill no matter what. No feelings just killing, and I'm losing that part of me. What do you do with an assassin that can't kill?" Natasha had moved to the concrete ledge of the balcony.

In the blink of an eye, she had climbed to the top and was standing over the New York street. "Natasha, please get down." Bruce said.

"I killed a child, Bruce." She replied staring straight ahead.

"But you saved so many other people. That man was sure to kill again. You stopped him. You're the hero." Bruce stood slightly behind her close enough that he thought he could reach her. "Give me your hand, Natasha. You don't deserve this. Let me help you." Bruce reached out and took her hand.

Before she could react, he pulled her toward him and caught her in his arms. "One accident does not make you a bad person. Trust me. I know." Bruce smiled and Natasha laughed. A real laugh. "If I put you down, will you promise to stay on this side of the of the ledge?"

"Yes," replied Natasha. Bruce set her feet down on the balcony floor, but kept his other hand at her back. Natasha still had her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you, Bruce."

"You're welcome. It feels better knowing Bruce Banner can help sometimes, too." Bruce replied.

Natasha pulled back to look into his eyes. "Bruce, you are not here just because you're..."

"The Hulk?" Bruce offered.

"Yes. You're more than that. You're a brilliant scientist and an excellent listener." Natasha told him.

"I'm flattered," laughed Bruce. He looked into the eyes of the master assassin standing in front of him and saw a beautiful, temporarily insecure, woman. He couldn't help what he did next.

Leaning in quickly, Bruce planted his lips on hers. A moment passed before Natasha kissed him back. She pulled herself into Bruce feeling him pressed against her. They stayed locked in the embrace until Natasha pulled back. "I should...go to bed now." Fury has Clint and I shipping out early." Natasha stared at her hands on his chest.

"I understand," Bruce lifted her chin to look at him, "just be careful. Okay?" Concern radiated from his body.

"I'm always careful." Natasha tried to lighten the mood with a laugh but Bruce was unconvinced.

Instead, he raised a hand to her cheek and brushed his thumb across. He leaned in for one more kiss which Natasha accepted. When Bruce pulled back she was crying; he knew she was crying this time. He wiped her tears and she smiled. "Goodnight, Bruce."

"Goodnight, Natasha." Bruce watched as Natasha disappeared into the shadows from which she came.

Bruce listened to the sound of the city from his spot on the balcony. The cars hummed across the crowded streets and people paced the sidewalks mesmerized by the bright lights. He remembered when he was one of those people. In awe of the sheer size of the city. Back when he was just Bruce Banner and not the monster who sometimes controlled him.

Finally, the power of sleep took over and Bruce went back to his room. He laid down thinking of Natasha. He wasn't sure why he kissed her, he had never thought of her in that light, but he was glad he had. Since their first meeting, Bruce had felt a connection with her that had only grown since moving in to the tower. Bruce was consumed by his thoughts of Natasha and was soon asleep without nightmares to keep him awake.

* * *

A/N: Let me know what you think. How many people actually like Bruce and Natasha together?


	3. 3: Promises

Bruce awoke early in the morning; his internal clock waking him to make sure he started his day. Usually, he would get dressed and go straight to the lab until Tony forced him to appear at the breakfast table and choke something down, but today was different. Today, he decided to get dressed in a pair of relaxed fit jeans and a button-up shirt that was just tight enough to show the biceps he had, and make his way to the lounge for a breakfast he would choose for himself. Making his own choice was his motivation.

Or was it the fact that there was still a chance he could see Natasha this morning before she left?

Bruce wasn't sure why he thought she might be there - she had said Fury wanted to ship out early - but Bruce had always been an optimist even knowing he was basically a nuclear bomb. As he exited the elevator, he found himself searching for her. The need to see her was killing him because everything he felt last night was something he never imagined feeling again. Somehow she had brought him back to life and he would spend the rest of it trying to repay her. When he entered the lounge he found her along with Clint and Fury going over paperwork, preparing for their mission.

"Goodmorning, Dr. Banner," Natasha was the first to notice his presence.

"Goodmorning, Miss Romanoff, Barton, Director." He walked toward them, but stayed out of their space at the table.

"Dr. Banner, you're up rather early." Fury noted.

"Couldn't sleep any longer I guess." Bruce smiled, Fury was unamused.

Feeling the tension, Bruce turned to the counter where the coffee machine sat idle against the wall. He poured the grounds into the filter and set the machine to brew his favorite flavor to start the mornings with. The conversation behind him was lead by Fury, whose voice remained quiet with the doctor still in the room. "Coffee already? I thought you started your days in the lab until Stark came calling." Natasha stated from beside him.

"I decided I could change my schedule. See some new faces if they still happened to be in the building." Bruce could see her smile out of the corner of his eye. He didn't turn to face her, but saw she was wearing her skintight cat suit with her gun holstered to her hip. "Are you going to point that at me today?" Bruce joked.

"I don't have to. I can take you down without a weapon." Natasha answered, rolling an orange between her hands playfully.

"Is that so?" Bruce faced her.

"Yes it is." Natasha crossed her arms in defiance as she turned to face him. She couldn't help noticing how close they were standing now that they were toe-to-toe. Bruce looked down at her, his eyes crinkled in the corners because of his smile. He felt her crossed arms lightly touching his chest.

Bruce was about to continue the playful banter when the alarm for the coffee sounded and his attention was drawn elsewhere. Turning away, Bruce poured himself a cup and turned back to find his companion was back at the table with Clint and Fury. Feigning disapointment, Bruce took a sip of his fresh coffee. Natasha glanced at him, holding back a smile because she knew Clint was watching her.

The sun was rising higher into the sky as Bruce made his way to the balcony window to watch the everyday miracle of the sunrise. As always, Tony was heard before he was seen entering the room. Fury looked up annoyed that his meeting was once again being interrupted. "Goodmorning everyone! Shipping out early are we?" Tony went to the coffee machine first and finished what was left of Bruce's pot. "That's a good idea, Nick."

"Thanks, Stark," Fury frowned, "let's get going." He said to the spies standing around him. Clint and Natasha began to pack the papers and folders from the table while rearanging their bags in the process. Watching them from the window, Bruce could see that this was a routine they had done many times in their lives. They moved in sync to a silent rhythm that only they could hear, like a dog whistle to a dog.

Fury started toward the door first, walking past Tony without uttering a word. Clint followed next with Natasha behind him, stepping to the same silent drum the way soldiers would. Both men left the room without so much as a goodbye, but Natasha stopped at the door and looked at Bruce. She was so used to faking her happiness that she didn't realize she was doing it now as she studied Bruce's face. He was never one to hide his emotions and he hoped she could read the concern that he felt for her. In return, Bruce could read her forced smile and knew that she was upset leaving after the events of last night.

A silent conversation passed between them in the few seconds that Natasha waited in the doorway. He was asking her to come back; no matter the cost. She was attempting to convince him that she would.

Clint called her name from the elevator.

Her time was up.

Taking a breath, Natasha moved away from the door and disappeared inside the elevator. Bruce watched helplessly at her striding away, taking his heart with her.


	4. 4: Chemistry

The last few weeks, with Natasha gone, Bruce had been hiding in his lab, working on his experiments continuously. He thought he was making a break through after spending nearly 14 hours a day trying to get his formula right. He only had a few adjustments to make and he thought he could get it to work. The calculations told him that adding more of certain chemicals would produce the desired affect. After countless failures, Bruce hoped this combination would prove to be stable; unlike his mind.

With Natasha gone, half of his brain power was reserved to thinking and worrying about her. He hadn't heard anything from her, or seen any sign of something going wrong on the news, but that didn't stop him.

Returning his attention to his experiment, Bruce went to the cabinet against the wall, searching for the correct chemicals to add. He leaned in deeper, checking the back of the shelves and straining his eyes to read the labels.

"Find what you're looking for?" A voice asked.

Bruce was startled be the new presence and lifted his head straight into the shelf above him. "Ouch!" Bruce backed out of the cabinet rubbing his head. "Don't you know not to interrupt a scientist." Bruce removed his reading glasses as he turned to face the intruder. "Natasha?"

He thought he was dreaming, or hallucinating considering the chemicals he had just inhaled. His red-headed assassin was standing just outside the elevator, looking like a normal person rather than a killer, in her jeans, ankle boots, and V-neck shirt. "Hello, Bruce. I'm back." Natasha smiled slightly from the landing. She waited for him to speak, but was surprised when he ran up the stairs to hug her. "Ow. Ow. Not so tight." Natasha pleaded as she pushed him away softly.

"I'm sorry." Bruce looked at her face, noticing for the first time the dark purple bruise on her cheek and the small cut on her forehead held together with stitches. "What happened to you? Are you okay?" Bruce ran his thumb lightly over her bruised cheek.

Natasha put her hand over his, "I'm fine. But I don't want to talk about it. Not yet." Her face grew dark and Bruce thought he could see tears in her eyes.

"Okay. I understand," he paused, "I missed you. Two months is a long time not knowing if you were alive."

"Yes, it is." Natasha nodded absentmindedly. Bruce decided not to push her and pulled her into him, hugging her lightly. She began to cry into his shoulder attempting to muffle her sobs. Holding on to him, Natasha felt the weight of all the things that had happened in the weeks she had been gone. Bruce rubbed her back rhythmically, trying to comfort her in any way he could.

After a few minutes, Natasha's tears subsided and she relaxed against him. "I'm sorry," she lifted her head to look at him, "I don't know what that was."

"Like I said, we all need a shoulder to cry on." Bruce smiled softly.

"You make a good shoulder." Natasha replied, squeezing his arm.

Bruce studied her face, amazed that she had made it back to him and now they had a chance to discover what would become of their relationship. "Natasha, may I kiss you?" Bruce wasn't sure what she would say, but he had to put it out there. When she nodded yes, he leaned in slowly, waiting for her to pull away scared.

She didn't.

Their lips met and Bruce remembered why he had missed her these last two months. Her soft lips fit on his perfectly, knowing what shape they should take. As the kiss became more energetic, Bruce felt his heartrate increasing. It wouldn't be long before they would be joined by a third party; most likely, an angry third party.

Giving her one last kiss, Bruce pulled back and stepped away, holding up his hand to keep her at a distance. "I'm sorry. I can't risk turning and hurting you." He took deep breathes, slowing his heart down.

"I thought you controled it through anger." Natasha asked, confused.

"Yes. Most of the time I do. But, sometimes he makes a surprise appearence." Bruce finally felt in control and stepped toward her with his hand stretched out. "Instead of getting to know the Hulk-"

"Which I've already done," Natasha interjected, "he did try to kill me the first time we met." She added with a smile.

"He's intimidated by beautiful things." Bruce replied and Natasha laughed a little. "Would you like to get to know Bruce Banner this time?"

Natasha looked at him, his coffee eyes gleaming, hoping she would say yes. She wasn't scared of him in the least; she had seen his worst side. Taking his hand, she answered, "I would love to."

"Good! Because I have been working on this experiment for six weeks..." Bruce pulled her along as he explained his tests and theories; the ones that had filled the hole she had left. Natasha listened to his childlike enthusiasm. She couldn't remember a time she had been more happy.

* * *

A/N: I hope I am doing these characters justice. I've always imagined Bruce as having this innocence about him compared to the other Avengers. Tell me what you think! There is still more to come!


	5. 5: Games

Seven months after the Battle of New York, the Avengers had officially moved into the Avengers Tower. Thor had returned to Earth, after taking care of his brother, and found a home with the other team members in the tower. Remodeling the tower had included adding rooms for all the members with features designed specifically for each and every member. Tony had known that the publicity following the battle would require the members to find a place to hide; however, Pepper believed Tony designed the new tower so he wouldn't be alone.

Now, gathered in the lounge area, the team chatted and drank to celebrate the success of a previous mission. Natasha and Bruce had become closer in the last few weeks, and were now sitting beside each other on the couch. Bruce had his arm draped around her shoulders and Natasha was leaning into his side. The team seemed to be okay with the signs of affection between them; however, Clint always watched Bruce carefully, like he was waiting for the Hulk to make an appearance and destroy something. Clint took it upon himself to be Natasha's protector, even though she clearly could handle herself in a fight.

"You're really quite tonight." Natasha whispered to Bruce as Tony told a wild story.

"I'm just enjoying the company," Bruce gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. The both smiled and Natasha resettled herself against him.

The group continued to party into the night, each of them laughing heartily and enjoying themselves. Even though he couldn't get drunk, Steve seemed a little more easy going than normal. With the interesting topics running low and his buzz running high, Tony decided he would challenge everyone to an arm wrestling match. His first choice: Bruce.

"We know what you can do when you're angry, but how about when you're tipsy?" Tony challenged, his eyes sparkling.

"Come on, Tony. You know you'll win." Bruce declined.

"Yes, but they don't know that." Tony held out his hands in gesture to the group.

Bruce looked around at his companions, staring in anticipation. He decided taking on Tony wouldn't be bad; he nodded his approval and drained his bottle of beer. They took their positions on opposite sides of the table. Tony and Bruce locked hands and waited for a starting bell. "Clint you got the bell?" Tony asked the sharp shooter.

"I got it," Clint knocked an arrow, "Ready. Set."

BONG!

Clint's arrow hit Steve's shield and ricocheted up toward the ceiling. Bruce and Tony were tied, with neither hand moving an inch, for a full ten seconds. Bruce noticed Tony was wavering slightly. As the match continued, Bruce began to gain ground and not wanting to embarrass his friend, let Tony push his hand to the table top. Tony threw his hands up in victory, but shot Bruce a look of thanks.

Back in his seat, Bruce watched Tony summon an arm of his Iron Man suit to challenge Steve. Bruce was entertained by the trash talk coming from Tony, when Natasha placed her hand on his arm, drawing his attention.

"You let him win." She accused.

"No, he beat me." Bruce answered with a smirk.

"You're a good man, Bruce Banner." Natasha kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well, thank you Miss Romanoff." Bruce relaxed into the couch.

Steve was in the middle of beating Tony, when the wall behind Bruce and Natasha exploded. The Avengers were sent sprawling across the tiled floor of the tower. Thor flew through the air and into the glass behind the bar, shattering it on impact. Steve, Tony, and Clint landed on the platform in front of the elevator with all three men groaning at the ringing in their ears. Bruce came to a stop when he hit the bottom of the stairs leading to the elevator, knocking the breath out of him momentarily. He looked around and saw Natasha lying next to the stairs with her head close to his. Getting to all fours, Bruce reached a hand out to her and touched her arm. "Natasha?"

"I'm okay." Natasha lifted herself to a sitting position. "What happened?"

"The Avengers have fallen!" A voice yelled from nowhere.

Bruce looked around noticing Steve, Tony, Clint, and even Thor were still trying to pick themselves up off the floor, trying to regain their senses.

"Earth's mightiest heroes are kneeling at my feet."

"All right," Tony stood and stretched his back, "who's ass do we have to kick now?" A missile came through the hole in the wall a created a hole a few feet in front of Tony. "Okay? Any guesses?"

"You should watch your mouth, Stark."

"Does he know me?" Tony walked around the hole and searched for the owner of the voice.

"We usually like to see who we are up against." Steve said coming up behind Tony.

"It's common courtesy. It's in the villain guide. I have an extra copy in case you haven't read it." Tony replied, quickly.

"You'll see me soon enough. If you survive."

At that moment, a hail of bullets tore through the room followed by missiles. Bruce grabbed Natasha by the arm and pulled her up the stairs toward the rest of the Avengers, but when they reached the top she was struck with a bullet.

"Natasha!" Bruce kneeled beside her as the bullets kept going past them. Thinking fast, Bruce jumped into the hold made earlier and pulled her in after him. Safe from the bullets, Bruce could inspect her wound. "Where are you hit?"

"In the thigh. It went right through, but I don't think I can run to the elevator." Natasha gritted her teeth at the pain in her leg.

Bruce put a hand to her leg and came back with minimal blood. She was right about the bullet passing through and Bruce breathed a sigh of relief knowing her injury wasn't anything fatal. "We'll be fine. We just have to wait it out." Bruce wiped his hand on his pants and searched her for other injuries.

"I'm okay. It's just the leg." Natasha told him.

"I would take your word for it if I didn't know you better." Bruce replied never taking his eyes away from his search.

"Sure. I - Bruce, look out!" Natasha yelled.

Bruce followed her gaze to the ceiling where he saw a large chunk of concrete break away and begin to fall on top of them. Not knowing what else to do, Bruce threw himself over Natasha, covering her body with his own, and waited for the impact.

BOOM!

* * *

A/N: Will Bruce and Natasha survive? Thank you for reading this!


	6. 6: Escape

Dust hung in the air, as Bruce opened his eyes in the near darkness of their cage. The only light came from a fist sized hole over their heads, and from that, Bruce could barely see Natasha's face. He could still feel her beneath him with her hands clutching his shirt.

"Are you okay?" She asked from under him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?" Bruce stood to give her space and search her for other injuries.

"I'm good." Natasha tried to look strong, but Bruce could see the pain in her eyes.

"We have to get out of here. You've lost too much blood." Bruce looked once again at her leg. He didn't have anything to stop the bleeding.

Or did he.

Bruce began to unbuckle his belt and pulled it free of the loops on his pants. "I don't think now is the best time, Doctor." Natasha smiled seductively.

"A dark space. Blood. Death threats. This is just like my Saturday nights." Bruce smirked leaning in with the belt in his hands.  
Natasha raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Interesting." She let him tighten the belt around her thigh, slowing down the bleeding.

Reaching up, she pulled him to her lips giving him a quick kiss. "We should get out of here."

"Agreed." Bruce began to push on the concrete trying to move the solid rock. Struggling with the weight, Bruce wasn't making any progress and stopped to catch his breath. Natasha looked at him ready to give her idea. "Don't even think about it." Bruce warned.

"Why not? He could lift it easily and get us out of here." She exclaimed.

"With the possibility of killing you in the process. I'm not taking that chance." Bruce shot down the idea once again.

"You won't hurt me, Bruce." Natasha stood up in the small space.

"I almost killed you on the helicarrier. I am not risking it." Bruce was trying to convince her to keep the Other guy out of their current situation, but she was stubborn and wouldn't be dismayed that easy.

"I trust you." Natasha put her hand to his cheek, and, in one swift motion, drew it back and slapped him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bruce was stunned.

"Making you angry. Or you can turn yourself. Your choice." She drew her fist back, making it clear that she would punch him.

"All right." Bruce grabbed her fist and lowered it. "Just stand back as far as you can."

Natasha nodded then pulled him to her lips once more. They stayed together for a long moment, then she pulled back. "For luck." She explained before moving as far away as the space would allow.

Bruce took a breath then another and another until his breathing quickened and his eyes flashed green. His muscles began to inflate, tearing apart his shirt, and he squeezed his eyes closed in pain as the transformation continued. A growl escaped his lips as Bruce changed into the Hulk.

Once he reached his full height, the creature no longer fit the space and a primal yell came from deep within as he pushed against the concrete. The ceiling piece was lifted into the air and sailed across the room. When the Hulk was free to stand straight, he turned to Natasha. She wasn't threatened by him because she knew that it was still Bruce, but she was ready to move incase he forgot.

The creature stared down at her, his breathing heavy like a bull's. He was so different from Bruce; she didn't know how they could be the same. Then he moved toward her and before she could react he held her in his massive arms and jumped from the hole in the floor. They landed soundly on the platform in front of the elevators. Natasha was breathing heavy now - the quick jump from the hole taking her breath.

The Hulk set her down gently then began backing away with a few grunts. She got to her feet, watching as the green creature in front of her started shrinking. He sunk to his knee's in pain and yelled one last time before hitting the ground with his fist. The damage might have been greater had he not been halfway to Banner at that time, but soon she could see the green give way to tan and the muscles go back to their normal size; the creature was gone.

Bruce was on all fours, panting in his dizzying state. He wobbled slightly, but Natasha was in front of him, holding him up, before he could pass out onto the ground. "Hey, come on now. You can't pass out on me when I didn't pass out on you." She said quietly.

"We made it." Bruce acknowledge, still taking deep breaths.

"I told you he wouldn't hurt me." Natasha remarked. She helped Bruce to his feet slowly.

"Yes, you're always right." Bruce agreed. He held onto her to steady himself. "It was different this time. Like he knew it was you."

"I think he did. I never felt like I was in danger, or that he would hurt me. It was just you." Natasha squeezed his arms. "Albeit, a ten foot tall, green colored you. But still you." She jested as she leaned in closer.

"I'm glad you're having fun with this." He retorted, grabbing her sides quickly making her wiggle in amusement.

"I'm a barrel of laughs." Natasha grinned.

Bruce looked away and she could tell something was on his mind. He stared at the ground thinking things over in his scientific head. Natasha could practically see the wheels turning over and over. "Bruce? What's wrong? If this is about the Hulk hurting me, we don't need to talk about this. He didn't hurt me. You didn't hurt me."

"I would never hurt you. Because I love you." Bruce had never been so honest in his life. Even before he was the Hulk, he kept to himself and tried to stay out of the limelight even though he was the top researcher in his field.

Now, standing here in front of Natasha, he had never felt more exposed. She seemed to be processing his words. Her face was stuck in a shocked expression; then it shifted and she spoke. "Bruce, we live in a dangerous world. We can't have - "

"Look," Bruce interrupted, "I don't want the white picket fence dream. All I want is to help people and have you there beside me, doing the same. I know we live in a dangerous world, but I don't want to live in fear of it. I will do whatever I can to protect you. And I trust that you will do the same for me."

Natasha listened carefully to his idea of their future and she nodded her agreement. Bruce broke out into a wide smile and pulled her to him. The hug acted like a handshake to their business deal, but the kiss that followed was saved completely for pleasure. He kissed her with fervor, needing the connection between them and not worrying about turning if his excitement became too great. She returned the intensity, unafraid of the creature lurking inside him. They knew it was one of the few quiet moments they would have, and they would treasure each one.

* * *

A/N: When I first wrote this story ( like actually wrote it down in a journal) this was the end, but now that I have typed it and you guys have seen it I'm tempted to keep going. Let me know what you think. Thank you again to all of you who have been keeping up with this. I appreciate your support!


	7. 7: Informed

A/N: It's good to be back! I've been trying to write this for two weeks but we are finally here. Enjoy!

* * *

Tony stepped out of the elevator to see Bruce and Natasha locking lips. "Get a room. Like the ones I built for you six months ago." Tony complained as he inspected his crumbling lounge area.

Bruce pulled away from Natasha, his cheeks bright red, but Natasha kept a straight face. "Thank you for your concern, Tony. It's not like we were trapped or anything."

"Excuse me for taking cover from a hail of bullets, chasing our attacker through New York until he vanished into thin air, and not taking the time to check on you two love birds." Tony took a breath to release his frustration. "Besides, I left JARVIS in charge of clean-up, so take it up with him."

"I am staying out of this, sir." The A.I. announced.

"Honestly, you can't find good help these days." Tony shook his head, then focused on the couple in front of him.

"I'm glad you're okay." He confessed.

"Thanks, Tony." Bruce finally spoke.

At that moment, Steve rushed into the room from a side door with his hair a mess and his eyes worried. "Tony, we can't find Banner and-" He saw Bruce and Natasha standing there. "Never mind. Are you guys all right?"

"Other than the hole in my leg and the belt cutting off my circulation, I'm great." Natasha replied.

"God, Natasha! I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking about your leg. We just escaped from that hole and I was hulked out and-" Natasha silenced him with a kiss.

"Enough talking." Natasha smiled.

"Take care of your injuries, then meet in Tony's lab. We need to discuss what happened last night." Steve ordered, getting back into captain mode. He and Tony moved to the balcony and began a whispered conversation.

"I'm sorry, Natasha." Bruce said.

"Just help me to the medical center."

"As you wish." Bruce picked her up and started walking toward the elevator.

"Oh, Westley," sighed Natasha, continuing the joke.

"I am the Dread Pirate Roberts. You should be fearful of what I might do."

"Please," scoffed Natasha, "you are no more a pirate than I am an angel."

"But you are an angel." Bruce told her. Natasha gave him a skeptical look. "Too cheesy?"

"Just a bit." Natasha grinned. "I appreciate the compliment, but we both know I'm not a saint."

"We'll see." Bruce winked, then stepped into the elevator.

* * *

In the medical center, a few nurses were running around restoring supplies on the shelf and helping the lone doctor of the ward care for the few people who were injured last night. A nurse stopped in front of Bruce and Natasha.

"What is the injury?" She asked getting to the point.

"I was shot in the leg. It didn't hit anything vital and went completely through. I just need to be stitched up." Natasha supplied as Bruce set her on her feet.

"Come with me." The nurse walked toward a curtained off area. Bruce helped Natasha to the table and stood beside the table waiting to be asked to leave. The nurse put on gloves and gathered the necessary materials to care for Natasha's leg. "Okay, take off your jeans."

"Um, do I...do I need to leave?" Bruce stuttered.

"Unless you are scared of seeing a girl in her underwear, it won't bother me. It's up to her." The nurse supplied. Bruce looked at Natasha.

"You don't have to stay. I'm not in any danger by a needle and a thread. I will meet you in the lab." Natasha squeezed his hand ad gave him her best smile.

"Okay. I will see you later." Bruce smiled slightly then turned and left the medical center. He felt the weight of the night catching up with him. Staying up all night was something Bruce hadn't done since the days before the Avengers, when he was running from the government. In the luxury of the tower, Bruce had grown fond of sleeping, even only for a couple of hours.

Opening the door to his room, Bruce stepped in and locked the door behind him, heading straight for the shower. He stripped down as the water warmed up and stepped in when it was hot enough to sting his tan skin. The burning water crashed onto his face, reviving his tired eyes. He washed away the dirt and grime left over from their enclosure, and exited the shower twenty minutes after stepping in. With a towel wrapped around his waist, Bruce went to his closet and picked out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He dressed quickly and towel dried his hair until it was the dark-colored curly mess he had known. Satisfied with his look, Bruce left his room and made his way to Tony's lab. He wondered if Natasha was there already.

Arriving at the entrance to Tony's lab, Natasha studied the room as she had been trained to do. She noticed Steve was anxious as he always was when faced with a new threat. Tony was taking with his hands trying to get his point across. Thor was standing next to the table with his arms crossed, annoyed by Stark. Clint was sitting on top of a table spinning an arrow in his fingers. And Bruce...

Bruce wasn't in the room. She turned around to check his room, but ran into someone.

"I guess I can't sneak up on you." Bruce smiled.

"I was going to look for you, but apparently you found me first." Natasha kissed his cheek, then turned and limped into Tony's lab, with Bruce behind her making sure she wouldn't fall.

"The gang's all here." Tony announced as he watched Bruce and Natasha take a seat in the lab chairs near the back.

"Good. Let's get started." Steve turned toward Tony, who clicked a button on his remote. The room darkened and a projection began to play on the wall between Steve and Tony. "Last night, we were attacked by a masked man with some interesting tech."

"He was riding a hoverboard. I have full body suits that let me go under water as well as into space." Tony grumbled.

"It's okay, Tony. Marty McFly has nothing on you." Clint quipped from the back. Tony shot him a look then clicked to the next slide in the presentation.

"From JARVIS we have learned that the man who attacked us last night is most likely Qaseem Davar." Steve revealed.

Bruce stared at the picture in front of him. It couldn't be. Not his Qaseem. His brain hurt from thinking about it over and over. Natasha seemed to notice his strange behavior. "Bruce? What's wrong?"

"I know him." He thought he whispered his reply, but Steve turned to him.

"You know this man?" Steve asked.

"Yes." Bruce stared at the picture once again. The group waited for him to continue. "Back in Kolkata," Natasha tensed when he said the name, "I was trying to lay low. General Ross was searching for me and he had almost found me multiple times before, so keeping a low profile was my main plan to avoid him. That didn't last long because where I was living, I saw children dying from disease and I had to help. I started treating cases that were easy to help, then I eventually tried to help everyone I could." Bruce paused and downcast his eyes. "One day, Qaseem, who had been helping me get antibiotics and treat the people, brought his wife in to my makeshift clinic. She was very sick with Typhoid, and I knew I couldn't save her because of how bad the infection was. I tried to explain this to Qaseem, but he wouldn't listen. He yelled at me and punched me a few times before another man pushed him away from me. His wife died in my clinic a few hours later, and he cursed me to suffer as he would suffer."

"Bruce..." Natasha couldn't think of anything to say. Instead she grabbed his hand and held it between her own.

"Now that we know who we are dealing with, I suggest we hunt this man down and tear him limb from limb." Thor finally spoke from his spot in the corner. Everyone stared at the demigod. "What? Too much?"

"Just a bit. But I loved the enthusiasm." Tony joked.

"We should track Qaseem down and stop him before he attacks us or anyone else."

"Aye, aye, Captain." Tony patted Steve's shoulder. "Meeting adjourned." Tony was the first to leave with Steve right behind him. Bruce and Natasha were the last ones in the lab.

"We should go." Natasha stood and tried to pull Bruce to his feet. He rose slowly and put his arm around Natasha to support her injured leg as they left the lab. The information Bruce had just revealed weighed down the both of them, but Bruce was focused on the fact that his long-lost friend had just become his enemy


	8. 8: Plans

The next morning, Steve was in the kitchen when Bruce came in to get his first cup of coffee. The soldier nodded at the scientist before returning his attention to the files in front of him. Bruce poured his cup of coffee and turned back to the table where Steve was sitting. "Good reading?"

"If you call files describing the life of Qaseem Davar good reading, then yes." Steve answered, looking up at Bruce with tired eyes.

"What's in his file? 'Doctor refuses to help ailing wife'." Bruce scoffed.

"No. More like military man becomes weapons specialist, then mercenary." Steve slid the file over. "He was born in Afghanistan, joined the military, and served twenty years before relocating to Kolkata three years ago."

"He never told me he was in the military," replied Bruce as he looked over the file.

"It's not something we all like to share." Steve answered, crossing his arms over his chest. Bruce glanced at Steve remembering the younger man sitting next to him was actually years older. He returned his attention to the file and stared at the picture of Qaseem. The realization that his old friend had attacked them wasn't completely setting in. "I'm sorry I can't be more helpful." Bruce apologized.

"Actually, I think you can." Steve stood from the table. "Meet me in the lab in thirty minutes." Steve left the kitchen to rouse the other Avengers.

Bruce sipped his coffee as he pondered the situation and the meaning behind the captains words. Steve thought he could somehow help, but in Bruce's experience he made everything worse.

"What is my scientist over thinking now?" Natasha asked coming into the kitchen.

"I don't over think." Bruce complained.

"Ha! You make me laugh." Natasha placed a kiss on his cheek. "I hear we have another meeting." She browsed the contents of the fridge.

"Yeah, Steve seems to have a plan. I think it involves me." He replied.

"And you're trying to figure out which version of you." Natasha guessed. Bruce avoided her gaze, telling her she was correct. "Bruce, I can promise you that Steve's plan involves this you. He thinks you are a valuable asset."

"Yeah a building crushing asset."

"Don't you understand?" Natasha grabbed his hand. "We want you. Not just the Hulk, but you. The intelligent scientist, the cynical comic, the adorable dork I'm holding hands with right now." Natasha smiled and saw Bruce relax into a soft grin. Without warning, she hit him in the arm. "Now quit doubting yourself before I really hurt you."

"Is that a threat?" Bruce set down his mug to rub his arm.

"That's a promise, Banner." She turned around and sauntered out of the kitchen, leaving Bruce with his hurting arm.

* * *

In the lab, Steve stood at the front of the room waiting for his teammates. Bruce entered behind Natasha, and they stood in the back near the wall of windows. Thor was leaning on the table that Clint had propped his legs on from his spot in the chair. Tony was the last to arrive, a big yawn contorting his face as he entered. "It's a little early, Cap."

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Tony." Steve grumbled.

"Apology accepted. What's the big plan you came up with?" Tony asked taking a seat at the table.  
"According to our files, Qaseem Davar was born in Afghanistan and joined the military. He served for twenty years specializing in large ammunition and explosives."

"Sounds about right." Clint muttered.

"He moved to Kolkata three years ago," continued Steve, "then, after what we know from Banner, he disappears. No records of any kind."

"That was a very interesting history lesson, but when do we get to the plan?" Tony asked.

"I believe Qaseem is still in New York. He came here to challenge us, and that tells me he can't be far away." Steve revealed. "How far did you chase him before he disappeared?" Steve turned to Tony.

"I chased him all the way to the East River. He disappeared somewhere in Harlem." Tony answered.

"Harlem?" Bruce wondered, becoming interested in the conversation.

"Yeah." Tony looked confused.

"That was the last time I was in the U.S. before I went on the run. I fought Emil Blonsky after General Ross turned him into a monster." Bruce explained.

"So when you said you broke Harlem, you actually broke Harlem?" Tony asked.

"Yes." Bruce said simply.

"Ha! I thought you were joking. I need to ask General Ross about that because he loves it when I visit." Tony rambled.

Steve ignored Tony and went back to the topic at hand. "Was there a place in Harlem you hid, or somewhere important you visited?"

"I had been corresponding with a scientist in Harlem, who thought he could create a cure for me. His lab was near the East River."

"We should check it out." Natasha spoke.

"I agree," said Steve, "we go check out the lab and if Qaseem is there, Banner can-"

"Transform into the Hulk and rip this man limb from limb!" Thor bellowed. Bruce stared at the demigod in shock.

"Uh, no. I was going to say Banner can talk to him, and try to dissolve the situation." Steve finished.

"Oh. Or that. That could work." Thor nodded.

"Banner? Do you feel like talking to an old friend?" Steve asked Bruce directly.

Bruce looked from the Captain, to Tony, to Natasha. The people he trusted the most were giving him the option. No one was forcing him to do something as the Hulk or as Bruce Banner: they were asking him. "I can try." He shrugged.

"Great. Clint, Natasha, and I will plan our entrance and possible escape routes. We will leave tomorrow." Steve informed.

The team dismissed except for Bruce and Natasha, and Steve and Clint. Natasha leaned in so she couldn't be overheard by the other two. "Are you sure you are up for this?" She asked Bruce.

"Yeah. I mean I think so." Bruce replied uncertain.

"And what if he attacks you and the other guy comes out to play?"

"That's why you are making the escape plans. Incase he does. I trust you to bring me back." He smiled.

"Good. Because you are not going to destroy Harlem twice in one lifetime." Natasha jested before kissing Bruce once on the lips. She walked away to join Steve and Clint while Bruce strolled through the halls trying to kill time and his anxiety.

* * *

"We are all clear from the northwest corner." Clint relayed over the coms.

"Copy that. Entering the building. Stand by for progress." Steve replied, leading Natasha, Bruce and Tony into the abandoned lab of Dr. Sterns. The plan was to find Qaseem and peacefully come to an understanding. If that wasn't an option, Thor and Clint were on a rooftop nearby and could easily join a potential fight.  
Walking the halls of the building, Bruce was flashing back to the day he came here with Betty.

Betty.

Bruce hadn't thought about her in a long time. He always dreamed he would eventually come back and they would be together at last, but that dream was shattered when he learned she was married. Now, walking behind Natasha, he knew it had worked out for the best.

Staring at the old blood bags hanging in an open cabinet, Natasha asked, "Are those from you?"

"Yes. I was sending him blood, hoping he would find a cure, but he was replicating my DNA to use on people." Bruce answered with a sad look in his eyes.

"You didn't need a cure, Bruce." Natasha said, looking him in the eye.

"You didn't know me back then." Bruce smirked.

"SHIELD has ad eyes on you since you were blasted with gamma rays." Tony supplied.

"Okay. Maybe you did know me." Bruce watched Natasha's noncommittal shrug as they continued through the building.

Steve stopped at the end of the hallway alerting the others. His back stiffened and his head turned to listen for something. Natasha did the same. "I hear it, too." She whispered.

"Tony, is JARVIS picking up anything?" Steve asked in a low voice.

"He has a lock on a target in a room at the end of the hallway to the left. Tony replied.

"If we charge in, we may scare him off and lose him." Steve said, thinking out loud.

"I can disable him without him knowing I'm in there." Natasha concluded.

"If he sees you, he will shoot you." Steve argued.

"Let me go in there and talk to him. That's why I'm here." Bruce volunteered.

"You can't go in there alone." Natasha testified.

"He won't hurt me. He can't. And I'm not getting any of you hurt." Bruce claimed, looking straight at Natasha. "Besides, if I feel threatened, I turn and you guys will keep me from wrecking the place entirely. We planned for this."

"He has a point." Tony interjected.

"Just be careful," warned Natasha as she squeezed his arm.

Bruce brushed past Natasha and Steve, and continued down the hallway. As he grew closer, he could hear the buzz of electricity and smell smoke in the air. Bruce entered the room to find Qaseem standing at a table, altering the wiring in his hover board. "Dr. Banner." Qaseem acknowledged.

"Qaseem, it's good to see you."

"Is it? I cannot say the same. The last time I saw you, my wife was lying in your floor in pain." Qaseem walked around the table to be closer to Bruce.

"I did everything I could." Bruce insisted.

"No, doctor. I do not believe you did. After I had helped you, fed you, even found you a house, you let my wife die!" A scowl grew on Qaseem's face, making him look older in Bruce's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Qaseem. I apologized then and I'm apologizing now. Even if I had had the stronger medicines and the hospital equipment, she had a ten percent chance of living. She was too sick to be healed." Bruce explained.

"I lost everything when I lost her!" Qaseem yelled, slamming a fist on the table.

"I'm sorry." Bruce attempted a final apology.

"It is too late for that. Now you will lose everything, too." Qaseem pressed a button on his board and the open panel slid closed; the engine started pushing the blades into motion, raising the board from the table. A gun appeared from the deck of the board and aimed at Bruce. The bullets whirred past him as Bruce ran out of the room. "Run!" He warned.

Natasha stepped out into the hallway to see Bruce running toward her with the hover board firing bullets behind him. A bullet hit his leg and Bruce careened forward onto the ground. "Bruce!" She yelled as she started toward him.

"Stay back!" Bruce commanded, waving her away with his hand. He looked up and Natasha saw the green flashing in his eyes. "Remember the plan." Those three words came out in a growling version of his usually smooth voice.

Natasha ran back to Steve as Bruce began to transform. "We have to get him out of here." She said.

"And stop that hover board." Steve added.

"I think he's got it." Tony interrupted through the coms. "Greenbean just crushed the board into a frisbee.

"Now what?" Clint asked.

"We stick to the plan. Get the Hulk to the river without hurting bystanders." Steve commanded.

"I can calm him down." Natasha announced.

"Get Widow to the river. Tony, start rounding up Banner."

"Thor, I need a ride." Natasha said.

"With pleasure." Thor appeared a few seconds later and grabbed Natasha around the waist. They landed on a dock in the East River. "Help them get Bruce here." Natasha told Thor, and he disappeared from her sight. She could hear the growls and yells coming from Bruce. "Come and get me." Natasha said to no one.


	9. 9: Mazes

The Hulk was annoyed by the man flying around his head, like a buzzing insect in his ear. He swatted at the red and gold bug, but missed by a few inches. Tony was trying to get the Hulk to chase him without being crushed by a massive hand. "Come on, Brucie. I need you out of the building." He encouraged as he flew through the entrance.

The Hulk complied by charging Tony and following him out of the building. The hulk was closing in on the metal man, when Steve threw his shield and hit the creature in the head. Dazed by the blow, the Hulk forgot about chasing Tony and turned his attention to Steve. With his shield back in his hands, Steve ran down an alley toward the dock where Natasha was waiting. The hulk engaged in the chase.

As he grew closer, the Hulk noticed a stinging in his side and whipped around to face Clint firing arrows at him repeatedly. The Hulk started after Clint only to watch him be whisked away by Tony, and pulled out of reach. An enraged yell erupted from the Hulk as he bounded after Tony and Clint.

Thor saw the creature approaching, and stepped out to blast the Hulk with lightning. The bolt hit him square in the chest and forced the creature to turn away. The Hulk rushed into an alley, escaping the lightning, and saw Natasha standing next to the river.

He ran toward her, but stopped short of running her over. She stared up at the creature, unfazed; she had been here before. Natasha raised her hand slowly and reached out to him. "Hey, big guy." She said softly.  
The Hulk snorted and stared at her outstretched hand, mesmerized by her confidence. He stepped toward her carefully. The larger hand of the Hulk reached out to her, and he instinctually turned his palm sideways. Natasha mirrored his movement, then brushed her slender fingers across his rough palm. The creature twitched at the contact, and growled slightly before he fumbled backwards in an attempt to get away.

Natasha could see him begin to shrink and lose his green shade. "The Hulk is disabled. Bring the jet to the dock." Natasha reported.

"Be there soon." Clint replied.

The Hulk was gone, and in his place, Bruce was collapsed on his side in the gravel. Natasha crouched next to him. "Bruce, you okay?"

"Did I hurt anybody?" He asked, breathing heavy. He couldn't open his eyes to see her.

"No. The plan went great. You were like our little lab rat in a maze." She smiled while rubbing his arm.

"Did I get to the cheese?" Bruce opened his eyes and sat up.

"In this scenario, I guess I am the cheese, so yes. You did." Natasha confirmed.

Bruce leaned in quickly and kissed her lips. "This cheese is delicious. It has a rich flavor." He joked.

"Shut up." Natasha laughed as she punched his arm.

The jet appeared above them and landed in the middle of the open lot. Natasha helped Bruce to his feet, but the scientist was too weak to walk on his own. He put an arm around Natasha's shoulders and leaned on her for support. Once inside the jet, Bruce sat on the bench in the wall. Thor handed him a sweatshirt. "I apologize for striking you with lightning."  
"No hard feelings. I deserved it." Bruce replied. He pulled the sweatshirt over his head and down his torso until he was covered. "Do we know where Qaseem went?"

"He thought he could escape by triggering you, but I was a little faster than him." Tony bragged.

"So you captured him?" Bruce questioned.

"Well, no."

"Then what did you do?" Steve pressed.

"I put a tracker on his armored vehicle that was sitting behind the building, and JARVIS is currently tracking his whereabouts as we speak." Tony finished.

"Once you get a location, we need to go pay Mr. Davar a visit." Steve declared. "Until then, we go back to the tower and rest up." Steve glanced at Bruce as he finished his sentence.

Bruce watched the soldier walk to the cockpit before leaning toward Natasha, who was sitting beside him, and whispering, "I think he was directing that at me."

"We've all had a long day." Natasha ignored his implication and rested her head on his shoulder. Bruce rested his head on top of hers and listened to the hum of the jet. The noise was soothing, and with the strain of hulking out weighing him down, Bruce fell asleep.

* * *

"Bruce, wake up. Bruce, open your eyes." He could hear a voice his name and found the strength to open his eyes a little. Natasha was sitting over him with a soft smile lighting up her features. Bruce rubbed his face, trying to make himself more alert. "How long have I been out?"

"Since yesterday afternoon. I had Thor and Steve carry you to your room. I thought I would wake you up for dinner." Natasha stated.

"Thanks," Bruce sat up in bed, "no one else was worried?"

"They thought you would get up when you were ready. The Hulk does make you sleep a lot."

Bruce nodded his agreement then realized he wasn't wearing the sweatshirt he had put on yesterday. He moved a hand to his leg and found he was only wearing a pair of boxers. "Uh, where are my clothes?"

Natasha gave him a once over then stood from the bed, and walked toward the door. "You had a fever." She replied simply.

"Does that mean you took off my clothes?" Bruce asked, turning pink.

"Dinner starts in twenty minutes," Natasha informed, "you should get dressed. With that, she walked out of Bruce's room. Sitting in bed, Bruce pondered the situation. He wondered if Natasha had stripped him down. And if she did, did she like what she saw?

* * *

The last one to arrive to dinner, Bruce took his seat between Natasha and Tony. The food was passed around in near silence; the sound of the forks scraping the plates was the only sound. Bruce looked around at his quiet companions. They all seemed preoccupied by something. Even Natasha was acting strange. He glanced at Tony, who was avoiding his eyes, and knew something was wrong. "All right. What is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"Why is everyone so quiet?" Bruce looked around again.

Steve took a breath and looked up at Bruce. "We haven't found Qaseem."

"Okay, but we will. He can't hide forever." Bruce asserted.

"He called us out." Natasha admitted, plainly. "A video was released around the world describing how we are incapable as a team."

"One person gives us a bad review and we pout about it?" Bruce insinuated from Tony's glum look.

"He's not the only one who thinks so. People around the world have started to agree." Natasha explained.

"JARVIS, pull up the video." Tony spoke.

The room darkened and the television began playing footage from the Battle of New York. "The Avengers. They are known as Earth's mightiest heroes, but they are not heroes. They are wrecking balls, destroying everything mankind has built for itself. They owe us for the damage they have caused. The city of New York is still recovering from this battle nearly a year ago. Damage caused by Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and especially the Hulk." The narration paused to allow footage of the Hulk fighting in the streets of New York to play. Bruce closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, reliving the moments in his head. Natasha put a hand on his leg, trying to comfort him. "I want these heroes to turn themselves in and face the consequences of their actions." The video ended with a broken Avengers logo, then the screen went black.

The lights returned to normal, and Tony stormed out of the room, clearly bothered by the accusations of Qaseem.

"If you will excuse me," began Steve as he stood and left the table as well. Thor took his large plate of food to his room while Clint, Natasha, and Bruce stayed seated.

"He didn't even mention us." Clint protested.

"Is that all you care about?" Natasha accused.

"I take offense to that. Yeah, okay, Tony has the flying suit, Thor has the lightning, and Bruce you are a badass when you are all green, but I'm a badass all the time." Clint argued.

"I agree, Clint. They should have mentioned you and how you nearly brought down the helicarrier with one arrow." Bruce quipped.

"That was all Loki and you know it." Clint scorned.

"You're right. I'm sorry. But you did shoot Loki out of the sky, so you deserve some credit." Bruce confessed.

"Exactly! Thank you!" Clint stood from his chair and left Bruce and Natasha alone.

"You don't have to feed his ego." She commented.

"But he gets so moody otherwise." Bruce joked.

Natasha laughed slightly, but her face took on a serious look. She got up and walked out to the balcony with Bruce following a few steps behind her. He watched her stand at the railing unmoving. Bruce walked up to her and circled his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. "You're not going to jump are you?" He asked, tightening his grip.

"No," she relaxed into him, "I just needed some fresh air."

"You shouldn't listen to Qaseem. We protected the city. We are the heroes."

"Keep telling yourself that, Dr. Banner." Bruce and Natasha turned to see Qaseem floating in midair on his new hover board. He raised a gun and fired at Natasha. The dart stuck into her shoulder, and before she could do anything, Natasha passed out in Bruce's arms.

"What did you do to her?" Bruce snapped, frantically checking Natasha.

"I am simply returning the favor." Qaseem shot a dart at Bruce that landed in his arm. His eyes grew heavy as he fell to his knees. "Sweet dreams, doctor." The last thing Bruce saw was Natasha being lifted from his arms.

* * *

Steve had followed Tony to his lab after dinner. The younger man stopped in the doorway, watching Tony type at his computer. Tony didn't turn , but he could feel someone watching him. "I left because I wanted to be alone."

"Come on, Tony. He just wants us to argue with each other and pick ourselves apart."

"Maybe so, but the things he said," Tony turned, "they're true. We need to learn when to stop."

"We can't stop protecting people." Steve responded.

"We can if we are the danger!" Tony shouted.

A loud beeping sounded from the computer, drawing the attention of both men. The looked at the monitor and Tony tapped a few keys. "What the hell?"

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"The tracker I put on Qaseem's truck alerts me when he is back in New York city limits."

"Where is he?"

"Outside the tower." Tony answered. "There is a second reading coming from the balcony, but it doesn't make any sense."

"Why?"

"Because it is five feet over the edge in midair." Tony and Steve stared at each other for a second.

"Bruce." They said in unison before running for the balcony.

Steve was the first to the door and the first to see Bruce passed out on the ground. He ran to his unconscious companion. "Bruce? Bruce?" Steve shook Bruce's shoulder.

The scientist fluttered his eyes open. When his brain engaged, Bruce sat up. "Natasha?"

"She's not up here." Tony supplied.

"He took her." Bruce stared at Steve and Tony. "Qaseem took Natasha."

* * *

A/N: Thank you to all who have been reading this. I was very busy last week and could not find any time to write, but here it is! Let me know what you think!


	10. 10: Sedated

"We have to get her back." Bruce argued.

"We will. But we can't go in blind and try to take down Qaseem." Steve rationalized.

"Nat can take care of herself. She can keep herself alive until we get to her." Clint added.

Bruce looked unconvinced. "I know she can, but Qaseem will do anything to hurt me. Nothing is off-limits to him." Bruce protested.

"I understand-" Steve began.

"No, you don't! It's my fault he took her. If she dies," Bruce took a breath, "I couldn't live with myself."

"Bruce," Steve placed a hand on his shoulder, "we will get her back."

Bruce looked into the eyes of the Captain and saw determination underlined with uncertainty. Knowing he needed to calm down, Bruce started for his room. The hallway was empty except for the figure coming up behind him.

"Banner." Bruce turned to see Clint. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Bruce narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Or as okay as you can be. Look, I'm not very good at small talk, but Nat would kill me if I didn't check on you." Clint summarized.

"I get it," nodded Bruce with a slight smile on his face.

"She's my best friend. I want to get her back as much as you do."

"I know." Bruce replied, honestly. Both men stared at each other for a moment before Clint went back to talk to Steve. Bruce continued his walk to his room.

* * *

After taking a long, hot shower, Bruce stepped out of the bathroom, ready to go to bed. He was physically exhausted and mentally needed a break from thinking too much. He could hear Natasha scolding him for over thinking. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Bruce looked at the one picture he had of Natasha. He had taken it when she wasn't looking, but that's what made the picture so beautiful. Bruce opened the drawer to his nightstand to put away the picture, then stopped when he saw something that didn't belong.

In the drawer, sat a silver box Bruce had never seen. He picked it up carefully. The box was cold, metallic, and smooth to the touch. Lifting the lid to the box, Bruce heard a click and a projection began to play.

"Hello, Bruce. I hope you had a wonderful nap. The dart I shot you with held a cocktail of my own invention." The projection of Qaseem grinned at Bruce. "Your little girlfriend had a higher dose than you, and I know she enjoyed it." The projection faded then reappeared with a different image.

Natasha.

Her forehead was shiny with sweat and her red hair was stuck to her cheeks and neck. Natasha's lips were set in a thin line and her steely eyes glared Qaseem. "She put up quite a fight when I tried to tie her to the chair, but we remedied that. Didn't we, sweetheart?"

Qaseem turned a dial on a machine to the left of Natasha. She began to blink rapidly until her eyelids closed and her head dropped to her chest. "You see I want you to find me, Bruce. That is why this box will lead you straight to me. I want to finish this. Just you and me. Come alone," Qaseem grabbed Natasha's face between his fingers and thumb, "or she dies." The projection quit, leaving Bruce as quickly as it appeared.

As Bruce continued to stare at the box, a new image popped up. It outlined a path from the Avengers tower to a location in Asia. Bruce realized the location was Kolkata, India; Qaseem was taking him back.

Standing from the bed, Bruce began to pack a bag to take with him. "Where are you going, Dr. Banner?" JARVIS interrupted.

"I'm going to get Natasha back." Bruce answered without stopping.

"I would not recommend going alone."

"If I don't, he will kill Natasha."

"I believe Mr. Davar will kill Ms. Romanoff even if you do go alone." JARVIS returned.

"I have to save her." Bruce walked to the door.

"I will alert Mr. Stark if you leave on your own." JARVIS declared. "Rationally, it is not advantageous for you to go alone."

Bruce thought over the situation that JARVIS had laid out for him. "Stupid artificial intelligence." He grumbled as he threw down his bag.

"That is a fallacy, sir. My intelligence level is that of a genius." JARVIS insisted.  
Bruce huffed in defeat and annoyance. "Sorry, JARVIS."

"I accept your apology." JARVIS replied. "I will notify Mr. Stark of your findings." The A.I. disappeared into thin air as per usual, and Bruce walked back to the lab to inform the others of Qaseem's message.

* * *

The pain was sharp and felt like a white-hot poker, but it was manageable. If she didn't focus on it, Natasha could make the pain in her arm disappear. The only reminder was the needle still embedded in the vein in her arm. Every time Qaseem came in the room, he would give her another dose of whatever he was using to keep her sedated. About the time her head would clear, Qaseem would return and the cycle started again.

Now, with her vision clearing up, Natasha knew she only had a few more minutes until the mind hazing cloud would descend. The room she was being held in was dark except for the light that leaked through the boards covering the window. The floor was made from planks of wood and covered in sand at the entrance. She knew where she was, but she couldn't find the name with the sedative making he brain a foggy mess. It was humid, the people outside spoke a different language - one she recognized but couldn't speak now if she wanted to - and the building she was in screamed basic architecture. The fog was clearing, yet no name came to mind.

Then, it was too late. Qaseem walked into the room through the door in front of her. "Good. You are awake." He closed the door behind him.

"Not for long I presume?" Natasha stared at Qaseem.

"Now, now. I do enjoy talking with you, so maybe we can extend your consciousness." Qaseem moved a chair to the spot in front of Natasha and sat down facing her.

"You'll never get to Bruce. They won't let you." She retorted.

"I've already taken care of that." Qaseem grinned. Natasha raised her chin in curiosity. "I will spare you the details, but I gave your boyfriend a little device to help him find you. Once he shows up, without your little friends, I will let you go, and then my fun will really begin." Qaseem stood from his chair to put it back against the wall; Natasha's time was running out. He stepped toward the machine, hand ready, but didn't turn the dial.

"What are you waiting for?" Natasha sneered.

"For that look in your eyes, when I know you are forming an escape, because that tells me my drug is wearing off, but also, it fills me with pleasure knowing that I can control the amount of time you have to plan." Qaseem drew closer to Natasha to whisper in her ear. "Time's up."  
The dial was turned and more vermillion liquid was pumped into Natasha's bloodstream. Her moment of clarity was gone. The liquid made her limbs go numb until she was dead weight in the chair, and finally, her eyelids grew heavy.

* * *

The silver box was perched on the table in front of the male members of the Avengers. Bruce, with the help of JARVIS, had filled in the crew on what Qaseem wanted from him.

"I do not understand. He left you a jewelery box?" Thor asked, crossing his arms in confusion.

"It's not a jewelery box. It's a...tracking...box." Clint remarked. "Right, Tony?"

"Close, my bow wielding friend. It has a tracking system in it, but it also has a computer chip to enhance its functionality and increase the visibility of the projection without draining the power cell." Tony looked up to blank stares. "It's a fancy computer with a GPS, perfect picture, and a battery that could outlast the Energizer Bunny."

"Moving on," Bruce cut in, "Qaseem said it would lead me to him and Natasha. I checked the map and I think he's back in Kolkata."

"He wants you back where it all began." Steve read Bruce's mind.

"I'm afraid this is a trap." Bruce confessed.

"Of course it's a trap," Clint protested, "but what does that mean for Natasha?"

"Qaseem wants Banner. That's his number one play, but I don't know how he will handle Romanoff." Steve said.

"I killed his wife and you don't think he will kill Natasha? He's leading me to Kolkata to do the same thing I did to him." Bruce argued. "He can't kill me. He doesn't want to kill me. He wants to cause me the same pain that I caused him. Qaseem will kill her."

"We won't let that happen." Steve countered.

"Nat would haunt me for the rest of my days if I let her die by the hands of a madman." Clint joked.

The other men laughed, including Bruce, because they knew it was probably true.

"Okay then. Let's save an assassin." Tony clapped his hands together.

The others shared an eye roll until Steve began to plan the entry, the extraction, and the multiple escape routes. Bruce listened intently and added his input when he disagreed with an idea. The men had the rescue mission planned to a T; they literally had a plan T made just incase. Bruce hoped it would work. He couldn't lose Natasha because of his mistakes; even the Hulk couldn't save him from that pain.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for keeping up with this story. I'm having a lot of fun writing it!


	11. 11: Neutralize

Natasha had been awake for only a minute or so; far from being lucid. He head lolled to the side as she tried to open her eyes. After a moment, she felt the fog clearing out of her brain, but could only think enough to keep her head up and her eyes open.

From the hallway, Natasha heard soft grunts and something hitting the floor. It was too early for Qaseem to come back which made Natasha worry. She tried to struggle against the ropes holding in the chair as the door to her room creaked open.

A man stepped inside then closed the door behind him. When he turned around, Natasha instantly recognized him. "Clint?"

Clint came to stand beside her and checked her over for wounds. "Hey, Nat. Surprised to see me?"

"Yes," she breathed, "I am." Clint went behind her, and a moment later, her hands were free. She tried to move her arms and was surprised when they followed her mental instructions. "He's had me drugged since I've been here. Not sure how it has affected me." Natasha revealed.

"It's okay. I don't need you to fight an army." Clint helped her to her feet. "I just need you to cover me as best you can." He handed Natasha a gun.

"I think I can handle that."Natasha caulked the gun and took a step; her legs didn't follow command.

Clint kept her from falling. "Let's try that again." Clint put her arm around his shoulders and walked both of them out of the room.

"Don't tell Tony about this." Natasha warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Clint grinned.

Sounds of gunfire echoed down the hallway as Clint and Natasha reached a set of stairs. They climbed like kids in a three-legged race, fumbling up each set. "Where is the team?" Natasha finally asked.

"Cap is taking out the guards on the lower floors. Tony is running surveillance for us and cutting off theirs. I think Thor is guarding the jet which is on the roof."

"And Bruce?"

Clint stayed silent as he continued to climb.

"Don't screw with me, Barton. Where is he?" Natasha couldn't hide the worry in her voice.

"He's talking with Qaseem." Clint said flatly. "When we got here, Bruce walked up to the front gate and some guards took him to another location."

"And you let them?" Natasha was enraged.

"We had a plan to follow." Clint pushed through the door leading to the roof. Natasha was able to move by herself now that the drugs had worn off, so he let go of her.

"Does this plan have a way to get him back?" Natasha snapped.

"I'm sure it does, but I only listened to my parts of the plan." Clint jogged past Thor and into the jet.

"Welcome back, Natasha." Thor said as he followed her into the jet.

"Thanks," she answered quickly before joining Clint in the cockpit.

"The package has been recovered. Proceed to extraction points. Jet is on the move." Clint said into his headset.

"Roger that." Steve said.

"Roger, Rogers." Tony added. "Ha! That was better than I thought it would be."

"Have you just been waiting for that?" Steve asked, sounds of punching heard in the background.

"When opportunities present themselves, I am more than willing to jump at them." Tony replied.

The back of the jet was left open for the others as Clint took off from the roof. He flew past a few buildings before Tony swooped in effortlessly to join them. He removed his suit then came to stand behind Clint and Natasha. Leaning over their shoulders, Tony said, "Good to see you, Romanoff."

"Thanks, Tony." Natasha smirked.

"Once we get the Jolly Green Giant, the band will be back together and we can start our reunion tour." Tony quipped.

"Who let him go in the first place?" Natasha raised her eyebrow.

"Hey, Steve was the one who said stick to the plan." Tony held up his hands in surrender.

"Oh, I'll deal with Rogers."

The jet circled back to a clearing where they waited for the super soldier to meet them. "Cap, where are you?" Clint asked.

"I'm almost there. I have five bogey's in pursuit." Steve informed. He broke into the clearing at a dead sprint. Racing for the jet, Steve heard gunfire and the bullets whizzing past his head. "Start the jet. I'm closing in."

Clint started the jet and propelled it forward slowly to keep it away from the other men on the ground. Steve was catching up, but not fast enough. "Slow down," he huffed.

"Or you can speed up." Tony offered.

"Stark!" Steve yelled in frustration. They could hear it over the coms and from behind them.

"Now, now, super soldier." Tony jested.

Steve, either by some miracle or anger at Tony, found his second wind and leaped into the back of the jet. Clint gunned the engine, and the jet took to the sky leaving the men chasing Steve in a cluster on the ground.  
As the back door raised to a close, Steve laid on the floor breathing heavy. He unhooked his helmet and slid it off his head, continuing to inhale deeply.

Tony watched from his chair and sighed, "Don't be so dramatic."

"You try running," Steve paused to sit up, "two miles at a dead sprint...while being chased by guys with guns. Then you can tell me not to be so dramatic." His breathing evened out enough to stand, and Thor helped him to his feet.

"Very well. Next time, I take out the bad guys and you run surveillance."

"Deal." Steve nodded.

"You're not out of the frying pan yet, Rogers." Natasha called from the cockpit.

"If this is about Banner, it's all under control." Steve assured her.

"You better explain."

"I will." Steve said as Natasha faced him. He hoped he had a good explanation.

* * *

Bruce was being led from the car toward a small house. It had two windows in the front covered with layers of dust, and the yellow paint was fading, revealing the gray stone the house was built from.

He recognized it immediately.

It was the house he had lived in during his time in Kolkata. The house where Qaseem's wife had died.

The guards shoved Bruce through the door and closed it behind him. The room was dark except for a single candle glowing on a small table. The light danced across Qaseem's face as he knelt in prayer behind the table. Once he was finished, Qaseem opened his eyes and stared at Bruce. "I was sending a prayer to my wife." Qaseem watched Bruce intently. "I was asking her for forgiveness. Fariba wasn't sick until I started helping you. I brought the sickness to her."

"It couldn't have been avoided. We didn't have the right equipment. You and I could have been infected at any point."

"That was the problem. I wasn't sick. I had spent years doing irredeemable things, and yet, Fariba was the one to fall ill." Qaseem stood for the first time.

"It wasn't your fault." Bruce ventured.

"No, it wasn't," replied Qaseem. He flipped a switch and the lights in the house burned bright. The old, outdated bulbs had been replaced with newer, incandescent bulbs. "It was your fault." Qaseem raised a gun and shot Bruce in the legs.

The scientist cried out as he collapsed to the ground. The bullet was lodged in Bruce's thigh - the flesh burning around it. "You will just wake up the beast. How does that help you?" Bruce grumbled through the pain.

"Actually, I do not think the beast will show." Qaseem stepped around the table to stand over Bruce.

"And why is that?" Bruce felt his heart rate rising like it did before an episode.

"You see, Bruce, the dart I shot you with was filed with a concoction of my own invention."

"You said as much." Bruce snapped.

"However, what I did not say was the cocktail contained a chemical that I found neutralizes your radiated cells." Qaseem smirked.

Bruce stared up in shock, "You couldn't. I've never found anything remotely close to that."

"You give up too easy, Doctor. I have worked years to perfect this formula. I have visited every scene of a Hulk attack and gathered evidence. I have researched every animal, plant, and chemical with stabilizing properties. You gave me a purpose after Fariba's death, and now I will carry it out." Qaseem fired at Bruce; the bullet pierced his right shoulder.

Hissing in pain, Bruce clutched his arm. He glared at Qaseem - eyes frozen in their coffee color.

"I am going to kill you, Bruce." Qaseem squatted to be eye level. "I will not lie. It will be painful and you will suffer. Just like my wife."

"Go to hell." Bruce spat.

Qaseem smiled, "You first, Doctor." Standing, Qaseem walked back toward the small table with the candle burning. He licked his fingers and extinguished the flame.

Bruce couldn't help but see the foreshadowing of the candle to his current situation. Much like the candle, Qaseem would soon extinguish Bruce's flame. The monster would finally be consumed by the night.

* * *

A/N: Don't hate me! But what would happen if a chemical could neutralize the Hulk? Would Bruce be willing to give up that side of him to have a normal life? What would you do if you had a cure?


	12. 12: Liberated

A/N: I have really enjoyed continuing this story! Thank you for reading. I don't want to beg for reviews, so I won't. I will just say that I would appreciate feedback from those of you still reading. Anything is better than nothing! Enjoy the latest chapter!

* * *

The pain was nothing like Bruce had ever experienced. Usually, when he was the Hulk, Bruce felt a dull ache every time he was hit, cut, or shot; now, the dull ache had transformed into blinding agony. Qaseem had moved Bruce to another room in the house and strapped him to a metal table; a coroner's table from the looks of the guttering wrapped around the edge. The blood trailed from the bullet wounds in his shoulder and leg along with a cut on Bruce's cheek, where it collected in a crimson pool. Other injuries Bruce tried to ignore were the bruises he felt forming on his torso where Qaseem had beat him, and the muscle spasms he was having after being electrocuted.

Bruce waited for Qaseem to return for more torture. The former friend had been called away, leaving Bruce a few minutes to catch his breath and steel his mind. As if on que, Qaseem entered the room and grinned at Bruce. "I am sorry. Where were we?"

"You were about to discover the meaning of life and let me go." Bruce quipped.

"That does not seem right, Doctor." Qaseem raised an eyebrow.

"Worth a shot." Bruce mumbled.

"Ah, Bruce. It might surprise you that I did enjoy your humor when we worked together." Qaseem attached a wire to Bruce ad stepped to the car battery next to the wall.

"You can imagine my relief." Bruce said, drily.

"It seems I have not yet broken your spirit." Qaseem connected the battery. "Do you think we can fix that?"

"Only one way to find out." Bruce gripped the restraints on his wrists.

Qaseem flipped the switch and the current flooded Bruce's body. He shook violently, rattling the table, and causing more damage to himself. After a few moments, Qaseem cut the power, and watched Bruce try to steady himself. "You are tougher than I anticipated. I believed your Hulking abilities would weaken your human side."

"I've...always...been stubborn." Bruce uttered, shakily.

"So I see." Qaseem smiled down at Bruce. He was glad to see the man in pain.

Gunshots rang out from beyond the door. Outside, staccato gunfire became louder. Qaseem went to the window, but couldn't see anything from his viewpoint. He walked out of the room, leaving Bruce alone once again.  
The noise outside covered the sound of approaching foot steps until the person stepped into the room. Bruce opened his eyes slightly to see an angel advancing toward him; maybe not an angel, but close enough for him. "Natasha?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm getting you out of here." Natasha looked him over as Bruce did the same to her. She had changed into her black cat suit with her gun strapped to her hip.

"This wasn't the plan." He argued, unhappy that she was in danger, yet again.

"Plans change." She released his right hand then moved to the next restraint. "What happened? Why are you not...green?"

"Qaseem created a neutralizer and injected me with it. I don't know how long it will last or even if it's permanent." Bruce flexed his hand.

"It's okay. We've got it under control." Natasha was working on his other hand when she sensed movement and shot.

Qaseem dodged the bullet, maneuvering on his hover board. "I should have known the calvary would come."

"Sorry to ruin your fun, but we need him back." Natasha took cover near the doorway.

"We have not finished catching up." Qaseem complained.

"That's too bad. We have an early check out time, so we really have to go." Natasha replied in her sweetest voice.

"Very well. Do not forget your parting gift." The hover board appeared without Qaseem. The familiar sound of a missile arming came from the board, and Natasha tried to duck out of the way. The missile hit the wall and exploded sending Natasha sprawling on the floor, her gun clattering away.

As she tried to pick herself up, Qaseem stepped into the room and kicked Natasha in the side. He loaded again, preparing for a second kick, when Natasha swung her legs into Qaseem's. She continued the motion, swinging to her feet as Qaseem fell to the ground on his back. Returning to Bruce, Natasha tried to free him.

Qaseem got to his feet and grabbed Natasha from behind. He had her by the throat, but she didn't panic. Natasha elbowed him in the stomach to loosen his grip, then threw back her hips to shove Qaseem backwards.

Bruce struggled against the restraints, attempting to free himself to help Natasha. His heart rate was rising, but the neutralizer was still in effect. He wouldn't be much help even if he could escape.

Qaseem rushed Natasha, she easily avoided his strike. He turned to punch her and nearly missed her jaw as she moved to the side and landed two jabs. Fed up with fighting a woman, Qaseem pulled a gun to fire at her and forced Natasha out of the room. "It has been fun, little spy, but play time is over." Qaseem hit a button on his watch.

The hover board, which had been waiting idly in the background, came to life. The board charged Natasha too fast for her to move and threw her into the wall. Her head bounced against the stone, knocking her unconscious before she fell to the floor, limp.

"Natasha!" Bruce yelled as he pulled against the restraints.

They held tight, unrelenting.

"Hm, looks like the Widow has been thwarted." Qaseem stood over Natasha. "It is a shame no one could save her."

"Dammit, Qaseem! She wasn't a part of this." Bruce felt his anger rising along with his heart rate.

"Neither was my wife, and yet, we are the last ones standing! It is our curse, Bruce!" Qaseem stressed.

"I already have a curse." Bruce snarled. His voice was lower and he felt his skin crawling. Bruce squeezed his eyes shut.

"Say goodbye, Bruce." Qaseem pointed the gun at Natasha's head.

Bruce opened his eye's and they flashed green. "Goodbye, Bruce." He growled as the Hulk began his return.

* * *

Clint notched an arrow and released it into one of the guards. His vantage point on the building across the street enabled him to watch Natasha enter the house where Bruce was. "Okay, Widow's in. Let's keep 'em busy boys."

"What do you think we've been doing?" Steve questioned, punching a guard.

"These men are no match for the mighty Thor." bellowed Thor. He summoned a bolt of lightning and struck the ground.  
Qaseem's men toppled around him into motionless heaps. Tony landed next to Thor and fired at a lone guard running away. "I think you got 'em." Tony commented, surveying the street.

"Any word on Romanoff and Banner?" Steve asked walking toward the group.

A roar erupted from inside the small house.

"I guess that answers that." Steve replied.

An explosion came from the small house, creating a hole in the roof for Qaseem to fly out of on his board. Busting through the front wall, the Hulk appeared in the street. Qaseem fired at the Hulk from what he assumed was a safe distance. The Hulk jumped into the air and swiped at Qaseem; the quick movement of the hover board kept him from being hulk smashed in the street. He shot a missile that bounced harmlessly off the Hulk's skin. Grabbing a chunk of debris, Hulk threw it at Qaseem and watched it scrape the bottom of the board.

"Are we going to watch this because I need some popcorn." Tony stated.

"Where's Natasha?" Clint voiced, running up behind the group.

"Tony, Thor, you guys keep Banner busy. Try to take Qaseem alive. Clint and I will search for Natasha." Steve ordered.

"First one to annoy Banner wins. One-hundred dollars to the winner." Tony snapped down his mask.

"You're on metal man." Thor flew toward the Hulk with Tony not far behind.

Steve and Clint ran toward the house where Bruce had been, and split up to search for Natasha. Holding his shield in front of him, Steve was braced for an attack. He stepped into a room with a steel table, and saw Natasha lying on the floor. "Clint! I found her." Steve announced. He bent down to study her head.

Clint came into the room. "Is she okay?" He asked, kneeling next to Steve.

"She might have a concussion." Steve shook her slightly. "Natasha, wake up."

"Come on, Nat. We need your help." Clint added.

Natasha shifted her body and her eyes opened, alert and ready to move. "What happened?" She asked, sitting up.

"We don't know. Banner turned into the Hulk and took off after Qaseem." Clint filled her in.

"Can you move?" Steve asked.

"I think so." Natasha answered. Steve and Clint helped her to her feet.

"Tony, what's your status?" Steve inquired.

"The Jolly Green Giant is not that jolly. Qaseem is leading him into the city."

"He wants an audience." Steve observed.

"He wants the people to fear the Hulk and make Bruce feel guilty." Natasha urged.

"We need to get Bruce under control before he destroys Kolkata." Clint acknowledged.

"Tony, turn him around. Bring him back to us." Natasha stressed.

"What's your plan?" Steve questioned.

"The Hulk won't hurt me. Get him away from Qaseem, away from the city, and let me calm him down." Natasha insisted.

"Sounds good to me. Your call, Cap." Tony submitted.

"Natasha's right. Turn the Hulk around and capture Qaseem. Clint get to the roof. If Banner takes the bait, he will come charging through need to be ready to distract him just in case." Steve elaborated.

"You won't need to, Cap. He won't hurt me." Natasha defended.

"Get in position," said Steve in answer.

Natsha watched the boys run to their respective hiding spots along the street. She stood alone in the middle of the road waiting for Bruce to come to her. The sound of Tony's repulsor's and Thor's hammer strikes became louder.

"On the street. Nearing the house." Tony informed.

"Copy that." Natsha answered. At the opposite end of the street, the Hulk ran into the open.

He snorted and beat the ground with his fists. Spotting Natasha, the Hulk fumbled toward her. She watched him stop a few feet from her. "Hey, big guy." She prompted.

The Hulk stared at her with bloodshot eyes; a usual side effect. A gun shot rang out from behind him, startling the grabbed Natasha with one hand and bounded away from the group.

"What happened?" Clint said into the coms.

"Qaseem took a shot." Tony answered.

"Neutralize Davar, now!" Steve yelled.

"Working on it." Tony grumbled.

The Hulk held on tight to Natasha as he continued bounding away from the commotion behind them.

"Bruce, it's me! Focus, Bruce. It's Natasha!"

The sound of her name brought the beast to a halt. He skidded to a stop and let the dust settle. He stared intently at her face, snorting in frustration. Setting her back on her feet, the creature roared before beginning to shrink. The Hulk sunk to his knee's. Once he hit the ground, it was no longer the Hulk kneeling in front of her; it was Bruce.

Bruce breathed heavy - his shoulders moving with each breath - and he looked up at Natasha. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, Bruce's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out onto the empty street.


	13. 13: Peaceful

A/N: This was suppose to be the last chapter, but it became kind of a fluff chapter because I didn't want to delete anything. Enjoy!

* * *

The silence became unbearable and Bruce opened his eyes. He saw white - white blankets, white walls, white tiles - telling him he was in a hospital. Sitting up in the stiff bed, Bruce felt the headache that always accompanied one of his episodes.

The door to his room opened and a young nurse walked in reading her PADD. She had short blonde and naturally pink lips that seemed to perfect to be real; she wasn't the type of nurse he expected to see. Looking up at Bruce, she smiled. "Good, you're awake. How do you feel?" She looked him over and Bruce became self-conscious - he wasn't sure why.

"I have a headache, but other than that I feel fine." Bruce answered.

"Good," she studied the machines next to his bed, "your vitals are normal, too. I will get you something for your head."

"Thank you." Bruce replied.

The young nurse left the room and closed the door behind her only for it to open again and allow someone else into his room.

"Hello, Bruce"

Bruce looked at the doorway to see Natasha. "Natasha. You're here!" He noticed the band aid on her head from where she had hit the wall. "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that." She came to stand next to his bed.

"How long have I been asleep?" He asked.

"Two days. The doctors were worried you wouldn't wake up, but I explained how Hulking out affects you." Natasha replied.

"Thanks," he smiled, "what have I missed?"

"Nothing really." Natasha shrugged, but Bruce saw something in her eyes that told him she was lying.

"Natasha," he warned, "don't be a spy right now. Tell me what's going on."

She looked at him, surprised that he could read her. "We captured Qaseem after you changed back and we locked him up in a SHIELD facility, but he wants to talk to you."

"That's it? Then let's go." Bruce tried to get out of the bed. Natasha pushed his shoulders back to the mattress.

"Not yet. You need to heal. We don't know what other affects his drug had on you. The doctors are trying to cleanse your system." She revealed.

"Nothing's wrong with me. I have a headache which is normal after an episode." Bruce argued.

"Just take it easy. Qaseem isn't going anywhere." She rubbed his arm.

"Fine. I'll take it easy." Bruce agreed. "Can we get some food though?"

"I can call the kitchen." Natasha offered.

"Actually, can we go to the cafeteria? I'm tired of lying in this bed." Bruce pleaded, his chocolate eyes hoping for a yes.

Before Natasha could answer, the young nurse from earlier walked in with Bruce's pain pills. "Here you go, Dr. Banner." She handed him the pills and a cup of water.

"Thank you, nurse." Bruce tossed back the pills and took a drink to wash it down. "Uh, nurse..."

"Stanley. Eliza Stanley." She gave him her name.

"Nurse Stanley, would it be all right for me to eat lunch in the cafeteria? Miss Romanoff will help me." Bruce nodded toward Natasha.

"I don't think that will be a problem. It would be good for you to get some exercise. Just don't overdo it." Nurse Stanley affirmed.

"Thank you, Nurse Stanley." Bruce smiled.

"You're welcome, Dr. Banner." She smiled back and left the room.

Bruce turned to Natasha, who was watching the nurse leave with a look Bruce couldn't quite decipher. She seemed bothered by something. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head, "are you ready to eat?"

"Yeah," Bruce pulled back the sheets and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up slowly, trying to keep his balance. Natasha handed him a thin robe that he slipped on over the thin hospital gown he had been put into.

"Let me help you." Natasha put her arm around his waist, and Bruce put his arm around her shoulders as a natural reaction to the movement.

"Is this for me, or a warning to Nurse Stanley?" Bruce asked with a grin as they moved out into the hallway.

"What are you talking about?" Natasha countered, helping him down the hallway.

"I saw the look on your face after she left my room." He prompted.

"What look?"

"You were jealous." Bruce accused. "It's okay to admit it."

"I wasn't jealous of _Nurse Stanley_." Natasha emphasized the name as she scoffed at his statement.

"That's okay. I was never in to nurses." Bruce squeezed her shoulders and leaned into her.

"Good, because I was never in to scientists." Natasha claimed as she hit the elevator button to take them down to the cafeteria.

"Ha. Funny. A spy with a sense of humor." Bruce remarked as they stepped into the elevator. "Did they teach you that in a class?"

The elevator doors closed and Natasha let go of Bruce's waist. She turned him to face her then slammed him against the wall. Bruce grunted before starting to laugh. "Okay. My bad."

"I was never into scientists," she paused and smirked at him, "until I met you." Natasha said.

"So you were jealous?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"I was cautious of the woman giving you pills from an unmarked container." Natasha released her hold on Bruce and faced forward in the elevator.

"Right," Bruce put his arm around her shoulders again, "or just jealous."

"Leave it alone, Banner." She warned as the doors opened.

"Not in this lifetime, Romanoff." Bruce remarked. Natasha stepped out from under his arm rolling her eyes as Bruce hobbled after her – a little unsteady on his own.

* * *

A few days passed and Bruce was able to walk on his own without support. He would take walks throughout the hospital and watch the different people interacting; they seemed happy even though they were in a place that was usually surrounded in sadness and death.

Walking back to his room, Bruce happened to cross paths with Nurse Stanley. He hadn't seen much of her since the first day he woke up. "Hello, Nurse Stanley."

"Hello, Dr. Banner. Looks like your walks are treating you well." She looked him over.

"I guess," he shrugged, his hands in his pockets, "they help me relax."

"Well, you didn't hear this from me," she leaned closer to whisper, "but I think you are being released today."

"Really? That's great." Bruce gave a small smile.

"What's wrong?" Nurse Stanley asked.

"This will sound bad, but I like it here. It's peaceful. Once I'm released, it's back to being stressed out all the time." Bruce answered.

"I understand. The same thing has happened to me then my husband reminds me that I can't control everything."

"Husband? You're married?" Bruce was surprised.

"Yes. For five years now." She looked confused and then worried. "Oh, I'm sorry if you thought that I was interested in you."

"No. No." Bruce chuckled. "I didn't think that and I'm not interested in you, like that."

"Oh, good." She released a nervous laugh.

"I should go pack." Bruce pointed toward his room.

"It was nice getting to know you, Dr. Banner." She stuck out her hand.

"You, too." Bruce shook her hand then walked to his room.

Inside, he found Natasha sitting on his bed. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked drawing her attention.

"I came to get you. You're being checked out." She stood from the bed.

"Want to help me pack?" He offered.

"I don't want to be in the way." She moved toward the door, but Bruce pulled her to him. He kissed her hard. It was their first kiss since they had been reunited, and Bruce was holding nothing back.

He pulled away first, "I'll be out in a minute."

Natasha smiled and left the room so Bruce could pack. He grabbed his small duffel bag out of the closet. Clothes had been brought in for him by someone – Bruce guessed it was Natasha.

Once all of his belongings were in the bag, Bruce walked out of the room to join Natasha. Placing an arm around her shoulders, they walked toward the exit. They passed Nurse Stanley and she waved at them. Bruce waved back with a small smile gracing his lips. Natasha nodded as they passed, and Bruce laughed to himself at her coldness.

"Why are you laughing?" Natasha asked.

"Because, for a spy, you're not very good at hiding your jealousy." Bruce smirked.

"I'm not jealous of your nurse." Natasha denied.

"Good, because she's married." Bruce walked ahead of Natasha to the car that was waiting for them. He held the door open for her.

Natasha caught up to him and hit him in the chest with the back of her hand. "Jerk."

Bruce shook his head and followed her into the car. "So where are we going?"

Natasha stared straight ahead as the car began to pull away from the hospital. "To a secure facility nearby."

"Perhaps the facility where SHIELD has been holding Qaseem?" Bruce questioned.

"You are smarter than you look." Natasha joked.

Bruce shook his head at her comment and stared out the window for a few moments. When he didn't speak, Natasha nudged him with her elbow. "Are you sure you're ready for this? I can call Fury and we can do this another day."

"No, it's okay. I want to talk to him. I'm just not sure he wants to listen." Bruce became solemn and went back to looking out the window. He wasn't seeing anything just watching as the shapes of the world flashed by him. Bruce thought he was ready to face Qaseem, but was he really?


	14. 14: Monsters

The car pulled up to an average looking building on the ordinary street they were traveling on. The two agents in the front seat both exited the vehicle before the passenger agent opened the door for Bruce and Natasha. The driver agent stood at the door to the building waiting for the group to catch up with him. Natasha stepped into the building first followed by Bruce and then the two agents. They entered the first floor that seemed to be the lobby of an apartment complex, but continued past the front desk to an office in the back of the room. Inside the small space, the group huddled close together to allow one agent to close the office door, while Natasha entered a secure passcode into the keypad hidden in the back wall.

A new door opened from a panel in the wall. Natasha stepped through and continued down the small set of winding stairs with Bruce at her heels. "Your secure SHIELD facility is in the basement of an apartment building?" Bruce asked.

"This building houses 30 SHIELD agents who rotate guarding the criminals that are being held down here until the board can decide what to do with them." Natasha answered, without looking back at Bruce.

"How many criminals are down here?" Bruce looked over the railing to see a glow coming from below. It was too dark to see anything specific.

"Five now with Qaseem being held here." Natasha stepped off the final step and to the frosted glass door blocking their path. She entered another code and the door opened to reveal a long hallway with four cells on each side. Two guards were posted at the door that Natasha and Bruce walked through. They stepped into a small room to the right of the entrance.

"Agent Romanoff. Dr. Banner." A guard acknowledged from the desk in the center. "Davar is in cell seven. He has been asking to see you." The guard spoke to Bruce.

"That's what I hear." Bruce took a breath to steady his nerves.

"Has the party started yet?" They turned to see Tony standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing here, Stark?" Natasha questioned.

"Hey, I was the one to capture that lunatic. I want to hear what he has to say." Tony looked like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

"How did you get in here anyway?" Natasha said.

"That would be my fault." A new voice replied before stepping into view.

"Rogers, come on." Natasha complained.

"You know how he gets when he wants something. He was eventually going to hack the system and find out." Steve interjected.

"Just because he flashes his puppy dog eyes doesn't mean you give in to him and his antics. I thought you would be stronger than that, _Captain America_." She returned.

"I do not have puppy dog eyes!" Tony argued.

"Enough!" Bruce interrupted. The group silenced – surprised by the sudden outburst of the normally quite doctor. "You are all acting like a bunch of children. He wants to talk to me, so I am going down there. Alone." Bruce's face took on a serious expression.

The other Avengers looked at Bruce with understanding. Steve shifted his weight to his right foot, uncomfortable, Natasha nodded, and Tony, being Tony, couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Just so you know, I'm going to watch from the monitors." He patted Bruce's shoulder as he walked past him to the screens on the back wall, each one watching a different inmate.

Bruce rolled his eyes and sighed. He took a step toward the door, but Natasha grabbed his arm to stop him. "What is it?"

"Be careful. Don't let him get to you." Natasha warned.

"You think this facility can handle an outburst?" Bruce looked at the concrete ceiling above and Natasha gave a small laugh.

"Let's not find out, Big Guy." She let go of his arm.

Bruce smiled at her then turned and walked past Steve in the doorway and into the hall. He read the numbers above each cell – it was like reading the numbers above the classrooms, trying to find the right class – finally, he reached cell seven.

Qaseem was sitting straight up on his bed looking directly at Bruce as he came into view. He wore an orange jumpsuit and slip on shoes like any other inmate would, but Qaseem acted as if he wasn't confined in a concrete cell; he seemed to be free.

"Hello, Bruce." He grinned. "It is good to see you."

"I wish I could say the same," replied Bruce simply.

"I am thoroughly surprised by the outcome of our situation. I thought I had beaten the great beast, but I will admit I was wrong." Qaseem said.

"It's not the first time I have been underestimated." Bruce commented absently.

"I underestimated the affection you feel toward Ms. Romanoff. I never thought her pain could release the creature from my prison."

"Why?" Bruce asked. "Why is so hard for you to believe I could love someone that much? I understand you hate me for what happened for your wife- "

"I do not hate you." Qaseem interrupted. "I hate myself. I hate what I have become. A man so consumed by vengeance that I attempted to kill my friend." Qaseem was smaller now. His shoulders that were once held back, now rolled forward in defeat, and his eyes held back tears that he refused to let fall.

"Qaseem, I am sorry about your wife. She was a great woman. You and I both know that she would want you to let go of your hatred and forgive yourself." Bruce watched the man sitting in front of him, broken by the loss of his love.

"You are right, Bruce." Qaseem stood from his seat and approached the bars at the front of his cell.

Bruce took a small step back. Natasha had already seen the move coming and had stalked down the hall toward him with two guards behind her. Qaseem stuck his right hand through the bars and held it out for Bruce. Realizing what the gesture was, Bruce stopped Natasha with a look. She held her gun ready to fire, but didn't have a good angle on Qaseem if he had something planned. Bruce reached out his hand in return and shook hands with his friend-turned-enemy.

"I am sorry, Bruce. For causing you pain, and for torturing you." Qaseem smiled genuinely.

"I accept your apology. I won't forget what happened in that room." Bruce answered. He let go of Bruce's hand and walked back to his bed to lay down.

Bruce didn't know if he should say goodbye, but decided against it and left the cell behind. Natasha had holstered her gun – Bruce wasn't sure where – and was waiting for him in the hallway.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I feel better leaving it like this." Bruce walked back toward the entrance with Natasha a step behind him.

As they walked by the security room, Tony stepped out into the hall. "That was beautiful. Especially the part where you said you loved Romanoff." Tony smirked as he clasped his hands behind his back.

Bruce went wide eyed as he reflected on the conversation with Qaseem, he had, indeed, said the word _love_. It had just kind of slipped out in his anger toward the criminal in front of him. Shaking his head, Bruce continued to the stairs that led to the building at street level. He couldn't hear anything except the pounding of his feet on the steps echoing off the walls, but Natasha was following him.

Once out of the building, Bruce got back into the car they had arrived in and was joined by Natasha not long after. The car took them to Stark tower – Bruce had never been happier to see the garish building in his life – now the place he called home. They rode the elevator in silence; awkward silence.

Bruce was standing outside of his door when he finally spoke to Natasha. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Can we talk about what you said?" Natasha stopped him.

"What did I say?"

"Can you not be a forgetful scientist right now?" She snapped a little harder than she meant.

"Natasha," he sighed, "It was in the heat of moment. Maybe it was true, but I understand if you aren't ready for that and- "

Natasha silenced him with a kiss. She held onto the collar of his shirt to keep him against her. When she released him she explained her action. "You talk too much."

"Yeah, I've been told that." Bruce agreed.

"And I love you. I never thought I would say that to a scientist, but shit happens." She shrugged.

"Huh, see I always thought I would say that to a nurse." Bruce replied. He was rewarded with a slight smack across his cheek that caused him to laugh. "I was kidding, Romanoff."

"You're not funny, Banner." Natasha let go of his collar and walked down the hall to her room.

"I love you," called Bruce after her. She didn't turn back to him only smiled to herself as she entered her room. Bruce chuckled to himself as he entered his room.

* * *

Later that night, the Avengers were gathered around the table in the newly restored dining room. They laughed and enjoyed the stories of Thor and his hunting trips in Asgard. Bruce and Natasha sat close together as they now realized how special their connection was. Of course, Tony couldn't let them forget that he had pointed it out to them and only now did they realize the connection. Bruce ignored him, but Natasha couldn't resist an argument.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." JARVIS announced. "But I have information pertaining to Qaseem Davar."

"Don't tell me that bastard got away." Clint rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"No, sir. It is much more dejecting."

"Just tell us what happened, JARVIS. You don't need to be all cryptic." Tony prompted.

"Mr. Davar was found dead in his cell. It seems he was killed by asphyxia." JARVIS replied. "He strangled himself."

Bruce couldn't help but gasp a little at the news. He thought Qaseem would be okay after they talked. He didn't seem like a suicide risk, but neither did Bruce, and yet, he too had tried to kill himself to end the pain.

Ignoring the others' strange looks, Bruce stood from the table and walked out to the balcony. The others shared a look before all staring at Natasha. She nodded her consent and went after Bruce like they all wanted. She came to stand next to him at the railing like they had so many months ago – the roles now reversed with her comforting him.

"He did it to be with her." Bruce said softly.

"Did he tell you he was going to kill himself?" She asked plainly.

"No. It didn't even cross my mind that he would try." Bruce looked out over the city. "I know what it's like to be on the edge, to not know if you could make it to tomorrow."

"Bruce," Natasha placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm not saying I'm going to try anything," Bruce faced her and gave her a small smile, "I just know what it's like. Qaseem didn't see a way out or a reason to live, but I have that. I have the Avengers. I have you." Bruce encircled her waist with his arms.

"Don't make me get all emotional. I'm a spy. I'm not supposed to have emotions." She wrapped her arms around his neck and smirked.

"People change." Bruce shrugged.

"I'm not people." She countered.

"No, you're Natasha," he leaned closer, "and I love you just the way you are."

"Oh, Banner. You old romantic." She sighed.

"Romanoff, you wonderful spy." Bruce leaned in and pressed his lips to hers slowly. She wasn't what he expected in his life; although, he hadn't expected to help people as the Hulk either. Natasha was everything he needed, though: strong, courageous, skillful, caring. She knew she wasn't perfect, but she worked every day to become a better version or herself. She had inspired him to do the same.

As Bruce Banner, he would always be helpful to those who couldn't help themselves. As the Hulk, he would always protect those who couldn't protect themselves. He would always be half man and half monster, but Natasha would be there to balance him out when he needed her, and Bruce couldn't think of a better reason to get up in the morning.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end! I hope you have enjoyed this story as much as I had writing it. This was a wonderful task for me to writing a multi-chapter fic about two characters that I thoroughly enjoy. Thank you again to those who have continued to read this story!


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